I agree with all of this, and RE recent post about a person who made a trip to a campus and was watching birds on commons. Birders usually wear un-colorful, almost camo clothing, carry 'interesting' equipment...
We went to Colorado Springs over Christmas, driving 1/2 of the 16-hr trip on 2-lane farm roads in NE, KS and CO.* I had my binoculars along, and bird guide to CO on dash. One could put a "birding" bumper sticker or other sign on car. I suggest using static cling plastic so you can remove it when in parking lots; you don't want to be ID'd as "birder in field: will be away from car for several hrs, go ahead and break open trunk and take all birding equipment left behind while on this particular walk..." Make yourself a "calling card" stating that you are a birder, member of MOU or Audubon or whatever, with address, phone, email, etc. The MOU made a card a while back, came out with MN Birding. Perhaps a template for such could be put up on the website, with a space to put in ones' own contact info, to be printed on that Biz Card paper with the perforations already on it. We passed a minimum security prison near the border of KS and CO. I immediately put away binoculars for a few miles (I look at hawks with binoc's while Paul is driving, ID on-wing or perched while I'm driving...) Holly Peirson Columbus, Anoka Co. * RTHA, NOHA, RLHA (several lovely dark morphs), AMKE, (many single individuals of all these raptors, gotta love driving back roads on a major trip!) AMCR (not many at all), NOSH (several), WEME (several md flocks), HOLA (abundant), SNBU (several flocks), possible LALO several flocks, MODO (one md flock), MALL, CAGO. Plus a few feeder birds (in-laws feed only store mixes despite many urgings to change...) and a magpie or two in the Springs. Weather was mostly bright, cold w/ windchill on plains.
